St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-09
A VERY PRETTY TRAP
Which Failed to Catch the Com
mission on Temperance Text
Books.

Books.
The commission appointed by the last
legislature to recommends text book for
use in the schools of the state, with ref
erence to the effects of StimulantS, held
meeting at Supt. Kiehle's Office yester-
day, and made a report which not only
names the books, but sits down with
considerable force on some of the good
people who have shown an interest in
the choice of books. The commission
consists of Supt. Kiehle and Presidents
Irwin Shepard, Edward Soaring and r.
j. Gray, the presidents Of the normal
schools at Winona, Mankato and St.
Cloud respectively, and these gentlemen
alkput their names to the report. This
report says that the commission has
been considerably INSTRUCTED in its
work of making selection
Of text books. Advice was asked
at the outset from interested parties,
and prominent above all else was the
activity of the VIC. L. IT,, whose efforts
had been mainly directed toward secur-
ing the adoption of a series Of text
books called the Pathfinders. The Off
GERS of this society were disposed to
press their recommendations as morally
mandatory, assuming to pass on the fit
ness of text books as to matter and
grade in which they shall be used, and
the commission finds that this has gone
so far that no book which has not been
officially endorsed by their national
superintendent of temperance instruc-
ton can be adopted with any assurance
of the cooperation of the society in
the execution Of the law. The ". c.
T. IT,, through Frank Bemis, it's
agent, sent out an article far and wide,
w I,
lished in the Brewers Gazette, in which
the PathfinderS were characterized as
fanatical and false and other books as
more moderate and tolerable. The in
tent in circulating this was to influence
the minds of temperance people against
the books which the Brewers Gazette
moderately approved. The commission
says it has evidence that can not be
questioned that this article was Sug-
gested and its publication secured by an
AGENT OF THE W. C. t. u.
in the interests of the Pathfinders.
The commission charges that Frank
BemiS, Oh April 6, made arrangements
with the editors of the Gazette that if
the article be published he would take
an extra edition, he representing at the
time that he Was opposed to the Path
finders and interested in other educa-
tional works. This was done and OH
the morning of the issue they were
placed before the commission by
a delegation, headed by Gen. a. B. Net
tleton and Dr.. S. G. Smith, who had
the copies from Mr.. Bemis, for the use
intended. The report says that Bemis
told the commission that he was simply
a philanthropist and had no interest in
the matter other than to help along the
good ladies'. The commission has since
learned that he had been, up to that time
at least, the recognized agent of the
PathtinderS and had in several states
been working with Mrs. Mary IL. Hunt,
the superintendent Of the advisory COM
mittee of the National Department of
Scientific Instruction,in the interests of
the PathfinderS. The commission says
it is unwilling to believe that the ladies
of this state are to be suspected
OF any intentional completely in this
scheme of defamation and deception,
but it cannot eXonerate Mrs. Hunt from
the responsibility for Bemis' presence
in the state, and for his plans and
methods. Some statements made by
Mrs. Hunt as to the books. and her in
terest in them, the commission cannot
understand, and some. they show to be
false. The commission says it is of the
opinion that pecuniary advantages of
interested parties, rather than diSinter-
ested devotion to the cause of temper
ance, has given the support to the
movement. After careful consideration
the commission has decided on the fol-
lowing books:
DR.. Smiths ''Primmer of Physiology
and Hygiene" for the lower grades, to
accompany and follow oral instruction.
DR.. Browns Electric Guide to
HEALTH for intermediate and higher
grades.
DIR. Hutchinson's physiology and
II,,,rnnaE IrnuicndA for l,irI Cnh1,oic